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enA Gender-Based Budget with Little Ambitionhttps://cpj.ca/gender-based-budget-little-ambition
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<h3><strong>Budget 2018 is an important symbolic step for women, but doesn’t go far enough</strong></h3>
<p>Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) is encouraged to see the federal government release <a href="https://www.budget.gc.ca/2018/home-accueil-en.html">Federal Budget 2018</a> with a gender-based analysis, the first federal budget in Canada to do so. Proposing legislation on pay equity and improving women’s access to jobs are both important pieces in tackling women’s economic equity.</p>
<p>But Budget 2018 lacks the ambition needed to make real advancements for all women in Canada, particularly those living in poverty or struggling to make ends meet. Without meaningful funding for a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, this budget leaves them behind for another year. What’s more, Budget 2018 does next-to-nothing to address Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, ignoring the fact that, globally, women bear the brunt of the effects of climate change. And the government’s commitment to resettle an extra 1,000 refugee women and girls from various conflict zones over the next five years is also commendable. But considering the level of vulnerability of this population, this is not nearly enough.</p>
<h2>Poverty in Canada</h2>
<p>Despite the investments promised over eleven years to work with the provinces and territories in increasing childcare spaces and subsidies, Budget 2018 falls short of working towards a universal subsidized childcare program, which many advocacy groups have long called for as an effective, evidence-based way to increase women’s participation in the workforce, lift families out of poverty and precarity, and increase economic growth.</p>
<p>The introduction of enhanced parental benefits is not ambitious enough without a serious dedication to accessible childcare for all. In addition, $7.5 billion investment over 11 years for childcare is far from the universal access required to ensure that women with children face less barriers when returning to work. With this investment, the government is still falling short of the accepted international benchmark for OECD countries of 1% GDP spending for early learning and childcare. The Canada Child Benefit is not improving purchasing power in many middle-class households who are paying tens of thousands of dollars annually for childcare, and in some cases, it can even result in a lower childcare subsidy received from municipal or provincial sources. It is imperative that these programs contain protections from different levels of government.</p>
<p>The 2018 Budget also announced the introduction of the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB), a new version of the Working Income Tax Benefit, which will provide additional income to low-wage earners and households in Canada. The improved accessibility to this program is welcomed. However, the onus should not fall on citizens to fund an increasingly inequitable Canadian workforce. Given the ever-present gender wage gap that exists, the CWB funding structure leaves many women behind since it is a household transfer, not an individual transfer.</p>
<p>CPJ applauds strong funding commitments to reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples, representing perhaps the most ambitious section of this Budget – and for good reason, given the amount of work to be done in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to address years of discrimination and inequality. This is a welcome priority. It also highlights, however, the lack of any similar ambition for the Poverty Reduction Strategy at large.</p>
<p>It is disappointing that the long-awaited poverty reduction strategy did not receive any dedicated funding in Budget 2018. The strategy, which is rumoured to be released sometime in 2018, will be the first national poverty plan in Canada. While certain benefits like the CCB (indexed to inflation), the new Canada Working Benefit, and extensions and additions to existing parental leave options have been announced under the umbrella of this strategy, the government needs to shift beyond piecemeal programs and address more ambitious systemic change if they want to tackle poverty in Canada.</p>
<p>Progressive tax reforms that will combat tax evasions and avoidance are absolutely necessary in these efforts and are well-received by <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="CPJ">CPJ</span> and our supporters. While improved social programs and benefits tackle inequity for those at the bottom, tax reforms are a way to redistribute wealth from the top and contribute needed revenue to fund other initiatives.</p>
<h2>Ecological Justice</h2>
<p>Year over year, record temperatures, unprecedented natural disasters, and wide-spread devastation is on the rise around the world as the result of climate change.</p>
<p>Yet Budget 2018 was written as if the climate crisis was resolved with the 2016 announcement of the Pan-Canadian Climate Framework and the 2017 Low Carbon Economy Fund. These measures certainly moved the yardsticks forward but fell far short of what is required from Canada to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. And despite these measures, Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have yet to decrease.</p>
<p>At CPJ, we believe that social and environmental priorities must inform the ways in which we achieve our economic goals.</p>
<p>We applaud efforts to address the particular social and economic vulnerabilities of Indigenous Peoples, as well as the $143.5 million (over five years) to support the expansion of the <em>First Nations Land Management Act</em>, which should empower Indigenous Peoples in disputes relating to energy infrastructure. We also welcome the $1.346B (over five years) for land and water conservation and the $1.018B dedicated to environmental law reform.</p>
<p>In terms of investments in measures that will lead to reduced GHG emissions, Budget 2018 is weak. The $109 million (over five years) in funds to implement Canada’s carbon pricing mechanism is good, but what is most notable here is the year-long delay in the application of this mechanism and the failure of the government to raise the benchmark to a level that would meaningfully reduce emissions. The monitoring of Canada’s climate framework is also a positive step, but at $4 million annually, quite modest.</p>
<p>Most notably from a climate perspective, Budget 2018 does almost nothing to address the $1.6 billion that continues to be given to the fossil fuel industry in the form of subsidies every year. (In the language of this budget, that’s $8 billion over five years.) In fact, tucked under the heading of “extending tax support for clean energy,” there is an additional $123 million that could potentially be applied to more energy efficient equipment in the oil and gas sector. In any case, the continued subsidization of the fossil fuel sector represents billions in lost revenue that could be invested in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and skills development.</p>
<h2>Refugee Rights</h2>
<p>In view of the unique challenges faced by refugees who are women and girls, it is commendable that Budget 2018 specifically addresses both the urgent resettlement needs of this population as well as the importance of combating gender-based violence.</p>
<p>The government’s plan to set aside $20.3 million over five years to welcome 1,000 refugee women and girls is, however, unimpressive and communicates a lack of serious intention to address the needs of this population. The projection will see an average of only 200 additional Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) in each subsequent year, making virtually no dent in the already low numbers of refugees brought to Canada through this stream.</p>
<p>What is praiseworthy, though, is the decision to resettle those from conflict zones around the world, rather than a specific region. This will mean that women and girls identified by the UNHCR as the most at-risk will be prioritized.</p>
<p>To combat gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada aims to spend $1.5 million over five years to enhance the Settlement Program. As well, $12.8 million will be set aside to provide legal aid services for refugee claimants in 2018-19.</p>
<p>Regarding irregular border crossers, the government is disappointingly maintaining the position to not rescind the Safe Third Country Agreement. Instead, Budget 2018 will see $173.2 million spent to support security operations at the Canada-U.S. border and the processing of asylum claimants arriving in 2018–19 along with $85.5 million towards the Canada Border Services Agency in 2018-19.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate to see no measures to eliminate the Immigration Loans Program, which the government has <a href="http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2017/2017-09-30/html/reg1-eng.html">acknowledged</a> impedes the abilities of refugees to settle and integrate into Canadian society. From a gendered lens specifically, the government should recognize the effects of travel loan repayment on women in particular, who may have the lowest levels of education and language competency and thus have the hardest time securing work and repaying these loans once in Canada. </p>
<p>Also missing is any indication of how the government intends to address the issue of backlogs in the Privately Sponsored Refugee program. With no clear plan to hire more personnel at processing centres, it is likely the government will not meet its target of reducing wait times to 12 months by 2019.</p>
<p>Overall, Budget 2018 is considerably deficient considering the ever-escalating numbers of refugees worldwide as well as the ever-increasing demands on Canada’s refugee system.</p>
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by CPJ on February 27, 2018 - 12:00am</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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Tue, 27 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000CPJ3127 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/gender-based-budget-little-ambition#commentsBeyond Productivity: Promoting the Well-being of Canadianshttps://cpj.ca/beyond-productivity-promoting-well-being-canadians
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<p><strong>Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Consultations</strong><br />
August 2017<br />
<a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/CPJ%20Submission%20Pre-budget%20Consultation%202017.pdf"><strong>Download the brief (PDF)</strong></a></p>
<p>Budgets reflect values and priorities. They express what is worthy of attention and determine how resources are allocated. In doing so, budgets have the power shape the future.</p>
<p>It is essential to start budget discussions with what matters most: personal well-being, social cohesion, and a healthy environment. This is the essence of public justice: the <em>political</em> dimension of loving one’s neighbour, caring for creation and achieving the common good.</p>
<p>From this perspective, we have serious misgivings about the questions suggested to frame these consultations. Focusing the budget discussion narrowly on productivity and competitiveness diminishes Canadians to our economic “value” as workers. This framework fails to account for personal fulfilment, community well-being, and ecological integrity. And, it ignores the importance and benefits of connection, culture, and creativity.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that a society in which citizens and residents are valued as whole people – for their role as citizens, parents, neighbours, and friends – is also a more productive society. <em>The opposite, however, does not hold true. </em>If we only strive for productivity, our society will not necessarily foster health, happiness, and security among its citizens.</p>
<p>Social and environmental concerns must determine our economic goals – and our methods of achieving them. The success and strength of society should not be measured solely by economic indicators. It needs to include personal well-being, social cohesion, and a healthy environment.</p>
<p>Drawing on CPJ’s recent submissions to consultations on <a href="https://cpj.ca/public-justice-vision-canadas-climate-action-plan">climate change</a>, <a href="https://cpj.ca/ensuring-safe-affordable-and-adequate-housing-all">housing</a>, and <a href="https://cpj.ca/flourishing-together">poverty reduction</a>, and our work on <a href="https://cpj.ca/half-welcome">refugees</a>, we have developed a number of recommendations for Budget 2018 focused on human and ecological flourishing.</p>
<h2>CPJ’s recommendations for Budget 2018:</h2>
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<li>Allocate $5.59 billion annually in new spending as a downpayment on the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, beginning in 2018.</li>
<li>Address the long-standing inequities in funding models for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, with an annual investment of $2.2 billion for education, infrastructure, and professional development.</li>
<li>Immediately end all subsidies to the fossil fuel sector for a savings of $1.5 billion annually, make strategic investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and skills development; and set a course for decarbonization by 2050.</li>
<li>Devote $385 million in 2018 to accelerate the processing of private refugee sponsorship applications, and make adjustment to other policies and programs to better support refugee resettlement.</li>
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by CPJ on August 21, 2017 - 12:00am</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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<a href="/poverty/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Poverty in Canada</a> </div>
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Mon, 21 Aug 2017 04:00:00 +0000CPJ3044 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/beyond-productivity-promoting-well-being-canadians#commentsBudget 2017 moves ahead cautiously on poverty and climatehttps://cpj.ca/budget-2017-moves-ahead-cautiously-poverty-and-climate
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<h3><strong>Positive steps that lack needed urgency for low-income Canadians and refugees</strong></h3>&#13;
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<p>Federal Budget 2017 inches forward but requires Canadians to continue to wait for full measures that address poverty in Canada and climate change.</p>&#13;
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<p>With Budget 2017, Finance Minister Bill Morneau has made tentative financial commitments to key priorities identified in their consultations on housing and climate change, though not on international development.</p>&#13;
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<p>However, the government’s spending priorities fail to understand the depth of the problems of poverty in Canada, climate change, and the concerns of refugees and newcomers – leaving these problems for our children to resolve.</p>&#13;
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<p>In<em> <a href="https://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/home-accueil-en.html">Building a Strong Middle Class</a></em>, the government has declined to move ahead resolutely on these key issues. Instead, Budget 2017 proposes cautious actions that delay meaningful change on these critical problems facing Canada today. </p>&#13;
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<h2>Poverty in Canada</h2>&#13;
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<p>This year’s budget makes positive steps in developing stronger social policy for those carrying the burden of poverty in Canada, including investments in affordable housing, as well as supports for families and Indigenous people. These, along with additional investments in health care, Employment Insurance reform (increased premiums), and targeted training supports, in particular to vulnerable youth, are positive steps forward.</p>&#13;
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<p>With the federal government beginning the development of both the National Housing Strategy and the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, it will also be important to see immediate action on funding commitments to address the most urgent needs, as well as a commitment to long-term funding allocation for the implementation of both strategies. </p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Affordable Housing and the National Housing Strategy: </strong>An important part of that commitment is the allocation of $11.2 billion over the next 11 years toward “a variety of initiatives designed to build, renew and repair Canada’s stock of affordable housing and help ensure that Canadians have affordable housing that meets their needs.”</p>&#13;
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<p>As part of the National Housing Strategy, this funding will include $3.2 billion for provinces and territories to build new affordable housing units, renovation and repair of existing units, and provisions for rental subsidies.</p>&#13;
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<p>It will also include a new $5 billion (over five years) National Housing Fund through the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Foundation, with priority support going to vulnerable populations. There will also be targeted housing support for northern housing and for Indigenous people living off-reserve. The funding also commits $2.1 billion over the next 11 years to expand and extend funding for the Homelessness Partnering Strategy beyond 2018–19.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Supports for families: </strong>The federal government is also committing in this budget “to invest an additional $7 billion over 10 years, starting in 2018–19, to support and create more high-quality, affordable child care spaces across the country.” Some of this funding will be allocated to programs for Indigenous children, both on and off-reserve.</p>&#13;
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<p>They are planning to work with provinces and territories to develop a National Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, as well as a distinct Indigenous Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, created in cooperation with Indigenous partners.</p>&#13;
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<p>The budget also commits to more flexible Employment Insurance parental benefits, which can be extended over 18 months at a lower rate (33% of average weekly earnings), and an extension to maternity leave benefits.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Supports for Indigenous people: </strong>The budget also commits to invest in Indigenous communities, with investments of $3.4 billion over five years to address areas of critical need.</p>&#13;
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<p>This includes an additional $4 billion over 10 years, starting in 2018–19, to build and improve housing, water treatment systems, health facilities and other community infrastructure.</p>&#13;
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<p>It also includes supports for Indigenous languages and culture ($89.9 million over three years), $90 million over two years for post-secondary education support, and $828.2 million over five years, starting in 2017–18, to improve the health outcomes of First Nations and Inuit.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Ecological Justice</h2>&#13;
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<p>CPJ’s membership has consistently called on the federal government to increase Canada’s emissions reduction target so that it is line with the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming to “well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.” While no such changes are indicated in Budget 2017, CPJ is pleased to see that it does address the commitments made as part of Canada’s climate framework. For the first time, the federal government has built a climate plan based on national consultations, established an important whole-of-government approach to implementation, and followed this with budget allocations. Unfortunately, however, very little of the identified funding will flow in this current budget year. </p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation</strong>: In our 2016 pre-budget brief, CPJ urged the federal government to use Budget 2017 to signal a “shift to a low-carbon economy through a just transition of the Canadian economy from fossil fuels to renewables.” </p>&#13;
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<p>We were therefore pleased to see that important allocations of $21 billion for green infrastructure (including $2 billion to support national climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts), as well as over $20 billion for improved public transit, both over the next 11 years. We also appreciate that skills development and training are set to receive significant resources, as is the clean tech sector. It is our hope that moving forward, efforts will be made to ensure integration of these priorities.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Supports for Indigenous people: </strong>Given the particular vulnerability of Indigenous peoples to climate change, we are pleased that Budget 2017 includes close to $1 billion in funding and measures to help Indigenous peoples in Canada shift to cleaner energy, adapt to impacts of climate change, and contribute traditional Indigenous knowledge to the development of adaptation measures.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Fossil Fuel Subsidies:</strong> Notable shortfalls in Budget 2017, include the continuation of subsidies to the fossil fuel sector despite the acknowledgement that such subsidies run counter to Canada’s international climate change commitments, and the absence of any increase in the level of carbon pricing or extension to the mechanism beyond 2022, even though the general budget timeline runs through to 2028.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Refugee Rights</h2>&#13;
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<p><strong>Resettling Yazidi Refugees: </strong>CPJ is glad to see that the government is making provisions to resettle 1,200 Yazidi refugees from Northern Iraq and Syria, as promised in 2016. The 2017 budget proposes $27.7 million to fund this resettlement plan over three years. However, there is no new funding allocated for the resettlement of refugees from other global regions. CPJ had hoped to see a financial commitment in line with the government’s promise to reduce application processing times for all visa posts to twelve months by 2019, and to enhance resettlement from other parts of the world.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Employment Opportunities: </strong>Budget 2017 proposes the reallocation of $27.5 million over five years, and $5.5 million subsequently, from Employment and Social Development Canada, in support of a Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers. Given that 34.2% of newcomers live in poverty, this is positive. Among other objectives, the Strategy aims to explore innovative ways to enhance newcomer employability. CPJ hoped to see a focus on funding for additional language training services for refugees, to boost their job prospects. The $56 million allocated for language courses and skills training in Budget 2016 was insufficient for language schools to teach refugees English or French.</p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by CPJ on March 22, 2017 - 12:00am</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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Wed, 22 Mar 2017 04:00:00 +0000CPJ2973 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budget-2017-moves-ahead-cautiously-poverty-and-climate#commentsDelivering the Promise of Justicehttps://cpj.ca/delivering-promise-justice
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<p><strong>Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Consultations</strong><br />&#13;
August 2016<br /><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/CPJ%20Submission%20Pre-Budget%20Consultation%202016.pdf"><strong>Download the </strong><strong>brief</strong></a></p>&#13;
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<p>CPJ believes that the Government of Canada must act on its commitments and develop policy that is grounded in the common good. We encourage the government to take a holistic perspective in the preparation of Budget 2017 – one that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable in Canadian society and contributes to the well-being of both people and the planet. </p>&#13;
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<p>Canada is among the seven wealthiest countries in the world; yet 1 in 7 Canadians live in poverty. Fortunately, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has been mandated to develop and implement a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy. A federal plan is essential to addressing poverty and its contributing factors.</p>&#13;
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<p>Canada ranks 3<sup>rd</sup> among OECD countries in per capita emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and these emissions are <em>rising,</em> contributing to global climate change. The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change is currently developing a pan-Canadian Climate Action Plan. An ambitious plan is imperative to fulfill Canada’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.</p>&#13;
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<h2>CPJ’s recommendations for Budget 2017:</h2>&#13;
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<h3>Develop and implement a comprehensive National Anti-Poverty Plan.</h3>&#13;
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<h3>Create a National Housing Strategy with not less than $2 billion per year in new funding.</h3>&#13;
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<h3>Shift to a low-carbon economy through a just transition of the Canadian economy from fossil fuels to renewables.</h3>&#13;
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<h3>Partner with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit governments and organizations to develop focused Indigenous infrastructure development strategies.</h3>&#13;
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</ol><p><strong>Read CPJ's entire pre-budget brief: <a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/CPJ%20Submission%20Pre-Budget%20Consultation%202016.pdf">Delivering the Promise of Justice</a></strong></p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Brad on August 10, 2016 - 9:42am</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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Wed, 10 Aug 2016 13:42:00 +0000Brad2845 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/delivering-promise-justice#commentsBudget 2016: Significant Progress, Glaring Omissionshttps://cpj.ca/budget-2016-significant-progress-glaring-omissions
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<p><a href="https://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/home-accueil-en.html">“Growing the Middle Class”</a> is the title of the first budget presented by Canada’s new federal government. The Liberals hope that citizens will find “sunny ways” inside these pages – and in several ways we should. But this budget also raises some important, longer-term challenges for Canadians.</p>&#13;
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<p>Below, you can read how the budget responded – and could have responded better - to our neighbours living in poverty, to the need for environmental justice, and to refugee rights.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Poverty in Canada</h2>&#13;
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<p><strong>Canada Child Benefit: </strong>CPJ is pleased that the 2016 Federal Budget is following through on the federal government’s commitment to launch the <a href="/chance-end-child-poverty-good">Canada Child Benefit</a> in July 2016. The CCB will offer a progressively distributed, non-taxable benefit, with a maximum benefit of $6,400 a year for each child six and under, $5,400 for each child six to 17.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Housing: </strong>CPJ is also pleased to see an investment in affordable housing of $2.3 billion over two years, with a commitment to consult in the coming year with stakeholders to develop a National Housing Strategy. However, we hoped to see a more substantial funding commitment to address urgent affordable housing needs.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Employment Insurance: </strong>We are glad to see commitments to employment insurance reform so that fewer insurable work hours (420-700 hours) are required for eligibility. What's more, benefit weeks are extended in 12 certain regions (extra five weeks to a maximum of 50). However, we are concerned about the regional restrictions of the benefit extensions, as the impacts of unemployment are being experienced significantly by people across the country.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Guaranteed Income Supplement: </strong>The government has also increased the guaranteed income supplement top-up benefit for single seniors by up to $947 annually for those most vulnerable. This will provide improved income security for seniors who are increasingly struggling with the rising cost of living.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Indigenous Peoples: </strong>We are very pleased to see that the government has committed to investing $8.3 billion over five year in <strong>Indigenous communities</strong> through funding for education and training, as well as funding to address immediate housing needs and improving water quality.</p>&#13;
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<p>The government has also committed to expanding the <strong>Nutrition North</strong> program by investing $64.5 million over five years to ensure nutritious food reaches northern communities. We hope that the program will also be improved so that it is more effective in reaching this goal.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>National Anti-Poverty Plan</strong><strong>: </strong>We had hoped, however, that the budget would include plans for the development and implementation of the <strong>Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy</strong>, which the government committed to in the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. CPJ recommended in our <a href="/making-real-change-common-good">pre-budget submission</a> that Budget 2016 include the commitment by the federal government to initiate the process for developing a national anti-poverty plan that would be comprehensive in scope, would be legislated, and would include funding allocations. We hope that the federal government will move forward this year with a consultation process for a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, so that it can proceed with funding commitments in the next budget. The 4.9 million people in Canada living in poverty need the government to act.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Climate Justice</h2>&#13;
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<p>Canada’s Liberal government made good on its commitment to taking an integrated approach to both the economy and the environment, including a full chapter on “A Clean Growth Economy,” in Budget 2016. This refreshing approach to addressing the realities of climate change in the context of economic well-being offers hope for a better future. Yet it leaves many questions unanswered.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Meeting our Climate G</span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">oal: </span></strong>In CPJ’s <a href="/making-real-change-common-good" style="line-height: 20.8px;">pre-budget submission</a>, we called for the implementation of measures consistent with Canada’s climate change goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 C over pre-industrial levels. Specifically, CPJ recommended the immediate elimination of federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, the introduction of a harmonized carbon tax, and investments in a green economy.</p>&#13;
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<p>While Budget 2016 acknowledged Canada’s Paris commitments and included preliminary funding to support the development of “the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change,” ($36 million in 2016 to a total of $109.1 million over five years), two key factors fall short:</p>&#13;
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<ol><li><strong>Fossil fuel subsidies.</strong> On the question of subsidizing the oil and gas industries, the federal government held to its election platform commitment, reiterating a commitment to eliminate these subsidies over the “medium-term,” but doing nothing now.</li>&#13;
</ol><ol><li value="2"><strong>Putting a price on carbon. </strong>Budget 2016 includes a clear indication that a carbon price is forthcoming, and will be identified as part of the pending framework, but gives no indication of what form this price might take, or the potential revenue it would generate for federal coffers.</li>&#13;
</ol><p><strong><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Clean Economy: </span></strong>Budget 2016 offers important recognition that Canada’s transition to a clean economy needs to be grounded in science, strong policy, and regulation. It also makes significant strides in investments in green technology and electricity infrastructure, and reiterates a strong starting point ($2.65 billion by 2020) for international climate financing. At the same time, it includes new investments in “cleaner oil and gas” ($5 million), which need to be eliminated and replaced with strong regulation of the fossil fuel sector.</p>&#13;
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<p>Going forward, the federal government must follow-through on stated commitments. It must offer clear, strong leadership in the development of a carbon price that is consistent across the country and rises predictably over time. And, it must deliver on the much more significant commitments to addressing climate change identified for 2017-2018 and into the future.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Refugee Rights</h2>&#13;
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<p><strong>Syrian Refugees: </strong>Refugees, especially those from Syria, have been at the front of the government’s agenda since the moment the Liberals stepped into office. CPJ is happy to see that the federal budget has pledged $245 million over five years to resettle an additional 10,000 government-assisted Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. The government’s target to welcome 300,000 new permanent residents in 2016 will also mean that more refugee families will be reunited.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Loan Repayment: </strong>The funding provided for the additional 10,000 Syrian refugees will go towards overseas processing and transportation costs, which means a lesser loan burden for these incoming refugees. CPJ would like to see the government provide loan relief for all future refugees, not just those from Syria.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Refugee Resettlement: </strong>The government’s focus has moved to family reunification and refugee resettlement. It is welcome news that the Budget 2016 has proposed an additional $25 million in 2016-17 to target backlog and to reduce application processing times. Private sponsorship groups rely on the government to process their applications and those of their sponsored families. Hopefully, these additional funds will reduce wait times so that families can quickly be brought together in Canada.</p>&#13;
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<p>The budget promises $56 million over the next three years to increase settlement programs for new permanent residents – including refugees. These programs will include language courses and skills training, which will help refugees transition into Canadian society – and flourish.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Finding the Revenue</h2>&#13;
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<p>The almost $30 billion 2016 federal deficit does not scare most independent economic analysts – interest rates are at historic lows today, Canada’s debt-to-GDP ratio is smaller than any other G7 country, and Canadians voted for a Liberal Party that ran on a platform of deficit spending in order to address many outstanding societal needs. However, the government also announced that $120 billion will be spent in infrastructure over the next decade, while cutting taxes 1.5% for middle class tax filers and promising that the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio by the end of their mandate will be lower than it is today. Can all this be done?</p>&#13;
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<p>Over the long term, deficit spending can be useful, or can give us reason to pause. Spending should be directed to productive purposes in aid of the common good, should create more societal equality, and not jeopardize life possibilities of future generations. With spending due to rise, Canada’s ability to pay for the type of society we need must also be enhanced. Unless future budgets find the revenue to pay for social benefits, the only other option is for governments to revert to often painful spending cuts. There was no indication in “Growing the Middle Class” as to how our government will face this revenue challenge over the medium term. And yet, for the good of all, it is a challenge we must address.</p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by CPJ on March 21, 2016 - 8:00pm</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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<a href="/federal-budgets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Federal Budgets</a> </div>
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Tue, 22 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000CPJ2779 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budget-2016-significant-progress-glaring-omissions#commentsAlternative Federal Budget 2016: It’s Time to Move On!https://cpj.ca/alternative-federal-budget-2016-it-s-time-move
<span class="submitted-by">By Joe Gunn on March 9th, 2016</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p>For the last 21 years, social policy analysts and union leaders, accompanied by economists at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives have jointly produced an Alternative Federal Budget. Released at least a week before the official federal budget, the AFB has allowed civil society to present progressive demands, cost out the implications of spending choices, and collaborate on developing a budget worthy of a forward-looking and just society.</p>&#13;
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<p><a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2016">AFB 2016</a>, released today, is no different.</p>&#13;
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<p>This year’s document calls for “structured spending” that would increase federal government spending to $37.9 billion, or almost $9 billion more than the new Liberal government must spend to meet its own election promises. As well, “The Alternative Federal Budget raises the bar on trans­parency by providing an accounting of the distribu­tional impacts on Canadian families of all proposed changes in taxation, transfers, and program spend­ing—something no government budget, federal or provincial, has ever undertaken.”</p>&#13;
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<p>Here is an outline of what AFB 2016 proposes in the three areas CPJ works on:</p>&#13;
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<h2>Income Inequality and Poverty</h2>&#13;
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<p>AFB 2016 argues that by following its prescriptions, the federal government could lift 1.1 million Canadians out of poverty, create 520,000 new jobs and bring the unemployment rate down to 6%.</p>&#13;
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<p>The authors are pleased that the new Liberal government has made important promises in the anti-poverty struggle: to develop a national poverty reduction plan, to introduce a generous Canadian Child Benefit that could lower the child poverty rate by 25%, to increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for low income seniors by 10% (lowering poverty among seniors by 20%.) As well, the AFB (like the Liberals) would scrap policies of the previous government that would not help lower inequality, like the Universal Child Care Benefit and income splitting for families with kids – all in favour of reallocating resources toward lower income households.</p>&#13;
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<p>The AFB would go further, however, promising to honour the recommendation of a 2010 Parliamentary Committee to grant $4 billion annually to the provinces to support their anti-poverty efforts, and thus use this “carrot” to bring back national standards for provincial income assistance. A publicly-funded, universal daycare program would be initiated. At a cost of $5.1 billion, the GST refundable credit would be doubled.</p>&#13;
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<p>The AFB also points to omissions in the Liberal plan – which does not adequately address the pre-distribution of income. The AFB would like to see the federal minimum wage raised to $15 an hour, unionization boosted, temporary foreign worker programs reduced or reformed to at least quickly allow for permanent residency, as well as major investments in social housing.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Environmental Justice</h2>&#13;
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<p>Although supportive of the new federal interest in climate change, the AFB is not completely aligned with current federal moves on this important file. For its part, on January 1, 2017 the AFB would implement a national carbon price, collected by the federal government, and “harmonized” with the provinces and territories. Their carbon tax would start at $30 a tonne, and increase by $5 per year. There would be no exemptions for any industrial sector (as there are in several provincial plans currently.) A portion of this income would be distributed to low income families, to assist them in the transition to a low carbon future. The AFB would also grant $1 billion each year to assist developing countries to address the negative effects of climate change. (Environmental groups have suggested Canada’s share is closer to $4 billion if global commitments are to be met.)</p>&#13;
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<p>The AFB would remove federal subsidies for fossil fuel production, thus saving $1.3 billion per annum. $1.25 billion of this would be re-invested in clean technology schemes, such as energy storage and clean generation activities. The Export Development Corporation’s financing for fossil fuel projects, estimated at $2.9 billion each year, would be reviewed, and any Canadian financing of fossil fuel projects in the portfolios of the international financial institutions, phased out.</p>&#13;
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<p>The AFB recognizes that energy efficiency is the cheapest way to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, expansion of the electricity grid would be financed, renewables encouraged, and $1.4 billion over 4 years invested in home energy efficiency grants.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Immigration</h2>&#13;
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<p>The AFB suggests that the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to his Minister was “silent” on the troubling issue of underemployment of skilled immigrants in Canada and the correlation between racialization and the growing wage gap in the labour market.</p>&#13;
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<p>The AFB would abolish the Designated Country of Origin scheme (as discriminatory), end the granting of transportation loans to refugees (already Syrian refugees have been exempted) and reverse the <a href="/invisible-victims">minimum residency requirement provisions</a> that the previous government slipped into their omnibus budget (Bill C-43).</p>&#13;
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<p>Other reforms to assist immigrants and refugees would include the elimination of the minimum income requirement for family class sponsorships, and allow youth under 22 (not 19 as recently decided) to be included in family sponsorships. Importantly, the AFB would reinstitute the $53 million in immigration settlement services that was cut by the previous government.</p>&#13;
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<p>In summary, CPJ is glad to participate in the AFB drafting exercise each year, as the AFB offers, describes in detail, and costs out many policy areas of keen interest to Canadians. It provides a useful comparison to the federal budget, which Canadians anxiously await to receive on March 22<sup>nd</sup> this year.</p>&#13;
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Thu, 10 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000Joe2773 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/alternative-federal-budget-2016-it-s-time-move#commentsMaking Real Change for the Common Goodhttps://cpj.ca/making-real-change-common-good
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<p><strong style="line-height: 20.8px;">Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Consultations</strong><br style="line-height: 20.8px;" /><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">February 2016</span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;" /><strong style="line-height: 20.8px;"><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/Making%20Real%20Change%20for%20the%20Common%20Good.pdf">Download the </a></strong><strong style="line-height: 20.8px;"><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/Making%20Real%20Change%20for%20the%20Common%20Good.pdf">brief</a></strong></p>&#13;
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<p><strong style="line-height: 20.8px;"><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/Making%20Real%20Change%20for%20the%20Common%20Good.pdf">​</a></strong>CPJ believes that the federal government has a moral commitment to develop policy that is grounded in the common good, giving priority to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable in Canadian society and for ensuring that Canada contributes to the well-being of people and the planet. </p>&#13;
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<h2>CPJ makes the following recommendations for the 2016 Federal Budget:</h2>&#13;
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<h3>Take measures to eradicate poverty in Canada.</h3>&#13;
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<ul><li>Develop a national anti-poverty plan that includes broad consultation, firm timelines and measures, and public accountability mechanisms.</li>&#13;
<li>Implement the Canada Child Benefit ensuring that there are no clawbacks or deductions of social assistance or income supports.</li>&#13;
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<h3>Implement measures consistent with Canada’s climate change goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels.</h3>&#13;
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<ul><li>Immediately eliminate federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.</li>&#13;
<li>Introduce a harmonized carbon tax.</li>&#13;
<li>Invest in a green economy.</li>&#13;
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</ol><p><strong>Recommendation #1</strong> calls for the 2016 Federal Budget to commit to the development and implementation of a national anti-poverty plan, or Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, which involves initiation of a consultation process with stakeholders, and includes built-in timelines and targets, measures of progress, and accountability mechanisms. In addition, we expect to see the Canadian Child Benefit (CCB) included in the budget, with provisions established with provinces and territories that there are no clawbacks or deductions of social assistance or other income supports.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Recommendation #2</strong> calls for the 2016 Federal Budget to initiate strong action on climate change through the implementation of measures to reach our stated goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels. This will include immediately eliminating federal subsidies and tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry, introducing a harmonized tax on carbon, and making strong investments in developing a green economy, which would involve renewable energy investments, clean infrastructure, and green jobs.</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Read CPJ's entire pre-budget brief: <a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/Making%20Real%20Change%20for%20the%20Common%20Good.pdf">Making Real Change for the Common Good</a></strong></p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Brad on February 21, 2016 - 7:00pm</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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<a href="/poverty/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Poverty in Canada</a> </div>
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<a href="/eco-justice/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Ecological Justice</a> </div>
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<a href="/federal-budgets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Federal Budgets</a> </div>
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Mon, 22 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000Brad2766 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/making-real-change-common-good#commentsBudget 2015 Chooses to Overlook Climate Change and Povertyhttps://cpj.ca/budget-2015-chooses-overlook-climate-change-and-poverty
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<p><strong><em>CPJ's 2015 Budget Analysis has been featured by</em> <a href="http://www.christianweek.org/budget-2015-missing-the-mark-on-climate-change-and-poverty/">Christian Week</a>, <a href="https://www.catholicregister.org/item/20099-budget-2015-maps-out-tory-election-vision-for-the-middle-class">The Catholic Register</a>, <a href="http://www.ucobserver.org/common_good/2015/04/dignity_all/">UC Observer</a>, <em>and the </em><a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/budget2015">CCPA</a>.</strong></p>&#13;
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<p>Budgets are about choices. They let us know what our political leaders think is important.</p>&#13;
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<p>On April 21, Finance Minister Joe Oliver Federal delivered Budget 2015, entitled “<a href="https://www.budget.gc.ca/2015/home-accueil-eng.html">Strong Leadership</a>.” According to its full title, this budget was designed to provide jobs, growth and security for Canadians.</p>&#13;
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<p>But this budget is not for everyone in Canada.</p>&#13;
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<p>It ignores the 4.8 million Canadians who live in poverty. And with major climate negotiations coming later this year, it ignores the climate crisis that future generations will have to deal with. It ignores the tens of thousands of vulnerable refugees who come to Canada looking for a better life.</p>&#13;
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<p>The federal government also chose to balance Budget 2015. With over $290 billion in revenue, it has a surplus of $1.4 billion – 0.5% of the total budget. Meanwhile, according to an <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/1950264/budget-2015-canadians-pick-jobs-social-services-over-balanced-books-poll-finds/?hootPostID=67cf230501080a33ff8e0ecce05a9553\">Ipsos poll</a> released just hours before the budget, 59% of Canadians prefer a budget that makes investments in jobs, the economy, and social programs to a balanced budget. So this budget is not for them either.</p>&#13;
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<h2>A Budget for Bankers</h2>&#13;
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<p>Would Canadians looking for ways out of poverty, or an end to growing inequality, find “Strong Leadership” in Budget 2015?</p>&#13;
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<p>Perhaps. That is, if they are older persons with considerable discretionary income to invest in retirement funds. For the poor, for Indigenous peoples, and for single parent families... less so.</p>&#13;
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<p>A key announcement in Budget 2015 was the government’s fulfillment of their promise to introduce income splitting for families, topped out at a saving of $2,000. <a href="/content/income-splitting-contentious-debate-within-canadian-church">CPJ has questioned the fairness of this plan</a> previously, due to the fact that there are more advantageous options to assist poorer families in need. The Opposition parties suggest only 15% of Canadians will benefit from income splitting.</p>&#13;
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<p>CPJ would have liked to have seen Budget 2015 announce a federal plan to reduce poverty, but this was avoided once again. <a href="/working-income-tax-benefit-pathway-out-poverty">CPJ’s brief to the Parliamentary Finance Committee</a> suggested financial enhancements to the Conservatives’ Working Income Tax Benefit – but Budget 2015 offered none, suggesting only that “The Government of Canada will examine initiatives to further increase awareness and take-up of the WITB.”</p>&#13;
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<p>The decision to increase Tax Free Savings Account annual contributions from $5,500 to $10,000 will cheer bankers and investment firms as well as that small number of our neighbours able to invest such amounts. Some seniors will benefit from the announcement of lower withdrawal rates for Registered Retirement Income Funds, the welcomed expansion of compassionate leave benefits to care for a gravely ill family member (from six weeks to six months), and the Home Accessibility Tax Credit which allows tax deductions for renovations for seniors’ and disabled persons’ residences.</p>&#13;
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<p>Although some policies announced in Budget 2015 could somewhat help low income Canadians, there were more effective policies available to government. Substantially increasing child tax benefits and the Canada Pension Plan, for example, could have yielded more equitable and inclusive results.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Staying the Course on Climate Change</h2>&#13;
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<p>Climate change is <em>the</em> issue of the 21st century.</p>&#13;
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<p>Per capita, <a href="/infographic-living-faithfully-new-climate">Canadians are among the most egregious emitters of greenhouse gases</a> (GHGs) in the world, and the most significant contributor to our emissions is the oil and gas sector (yes, even with the slump in oil prices).</p>&#13;
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<p>Cognizant of the seriousness of climate change, the urgent need for an economic transition, and our Christian imperative to protect and promote the flourishing of creation, CPJ simply <a href="/oil-and-gas-regulations-fulfilling-promise">asked</a> that Budget 2015 <strong>implement promised regulations across the oil and gas sector to meet Canada’s Copenhagen Accord commitments by 2020.</strong></p>&#13;
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<p>Recognizing, however, that regulation is insufficient to prompt the necessary reduction of GHG emissions (they must be virtually eliminated by 2015), CPJ also supported the <a href="/delivering-good-twenty-years-alternative-budgets">Alternative Federal Budget</a>’s call for the government to <strong>establish a</strong><strong> carbon price based on the “polluter pays principle.”</strong></p>&#13;
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<p>The federal government, however, chose to stay the course.</p>&#13;
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<p>If Budget 2015 is any indication, the only climate of interest to the government is Canada’s investment climate.</p>&#13;
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<p>Where a discussion of a renewed approach to Canadian energy policy should have been, the government has once again focused on “responsible resource development.” Instead of investing in green energy, Budget 2015 chose to support the development of a liquefied natural gas industry, tax-credits for mining, and extending natural gas export licenses, among others things.</p>&#13;
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<p>According to the budget document, “The Government <em>has</em> enshrined the principle of ‘polluter pays’ in legislation” (emphasis added). But in truth, this principle is applied only to industrial “accidents.” It is not applied to GHG emissions that are known to result from the normal operation of the fossil fuel industry.</p>&#13;
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<p>To their credit, the government did include a provision for $80 million over five year to the National Energy Board, “for safety and environmental protection and greater engagement with Canadians” relating to interprovincial oil, gas, and electricity activities.</p>&#13;
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<p>Fortunately, the government also responded to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ request for public transit funding in the amount of “$750 million over two years, starting in 2017–18, and $1 billion per year ongoing thereafter.”</p>&#13;
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<p>By supporting more convenient and time-efficient commutes for Canadians, investments in public transit will result in fewer (single-occupancy) vehicles on the road and a corresponding decline in carbon emissions. According to the <a href="https://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Rider-Programs/green-initiatives/Pages/Personal-Vehicles-Versus-Public-Transit.aspx">TransitWindsor</a>, one bus can replace 40-50 cars and eliminate upwards of 175 tonnes of GHGs per year.</p>&#13;
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<p>Cleaner air and healthier cities will also most likely result, as well as between 9,000 and 14,000 green jobs for every $1 billion of public transit investment, according to the Canadian Labour Congress.</p>&#13;
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<p>Finally, in the category of “protecting Canada’s environment,” the federal budget pledged $75 million to protect species at risk, $32 million to enhance conservation, $34 million to maintain meteorological and navigational warning services in the Arctic, $393 million to address toxic substances, and $100 million to clean up contaminated sites. Together, this amounts to $634 million, or approximately 0.2% of the total budget (based on a $290 billion budget).</p>&#13;
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<h2>Refugee Rights Ignored</h2>&#13;
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<p>Refugees are not specifically mentioned in the federal budget. There are, however, some relevant elements hidden within it.</p>&#13;
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<p>The government has made it clear that its priority is economic growth. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of such vulnerable groups as refugees. Though the budget stated that the Canada Social Transfer will continue to grow by three per cent, no money has been specially allocated for refugees to ensure that they can access these crucial services. There will be no increased funding to assist in the resettlement of sponsored refugees, meaning that the burden will continue to fall to private sponsors, most of whom are faith groups. Finally, there was no indication that the government plans to restore funding for the Interim Federal Health program, which was cut in 2012.</p>&#13;
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<p>The government consistently professes its commitment to ensuring jobs for Canadians. To this end, they had thousands of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) expelled from the country at the beginning of the month, despite the contributions of TFWs to the Canadian labour market and the fact that many had been here for years. The government claims that restricting the TFW program will make more jobs available for Canadians. At the same time, however, it has implemented the Express Entry program which “selects the top economic immigrants who are most likely to succeed in Canada and contribute to the Canadian economy, the labour market and communities,” demonstrating that its focus is still on growing the economy, rather than the prosperity of individual citizens.</p>&#13;
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<p>Although refugees are not singled out, the legislation contains the same language that has been used when justifying other restrictive measures targeted directly at refugees. Specifically, it mentions facilitating “legitimate” travel for “genuine” visitors, students and businesspeople. By identifying these groups in these terms, the government is demonstrating its continued preoccupation with excluding certain categories of people deemed not worthy of entry to Canada.</p>&#13;
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<h2>An Election Document</h2>&#13;
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<p>Budget 2015 is clearly an election document. That’s not altogether a bad thing. In any democracy, it’s important for our leaders to present citizens with their vision.</p>&#13;
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<p>This pre-election budget made its choices based on political calculation. It opted for a sliver of a budget surplus instead of needed investments. It made promises to honoured in two be to three years’ time, while it ignored the immediate needs of low-income Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and refugees.</p>&#13;
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<p>A public justice lens would expect a federal budget to present a vision for Canada that includes all of us. It would be an expression of our love of neighbour and care for creation. </p>&#13;
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<p><picture title="Joe Oliver" data-picture-mapping="post_image" data-picture-group="post_image" style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">
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<p><strong>Photo Credit</strong>: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/16335332225">World Economic Forum</a> (Flickr CC)</p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Brad on April 22, 2015 - 12:00am</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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<a href="/federal-budgets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Federal Budgets</a> </div>
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Wed, 22 Apr 2015 04:00:00 +0000Brad2648 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budget-2015-chooses-overlook-climate-change-and-poverty#commentsDelivering the Good: Twenty Years of Alternative Budgetshttps://cpj.ca/delivering-good-twenty-years-alternative-budgets
<span class="submitted-by">By Joe Gunn on March 19th, 2015</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p>Budgets are documents that clarify our values – they say where our hearts really lie (they may also show how we “lie” if we do not walk the talk!) Politicians (just like faith communities, perhaps) may profess in speech to believe in the greater good. Where and how we spend money, and from where and how we collect it, often communicates even more than what we say.</p>
<p>CPJ has a long history of encouraging governments to budget from where our higher values lie. Our work to eliminate poverty, defend refugee rights, and care for creation therefore recommends certain economic options and policies over others. In free market capitalism, success is often framed as the predominance of individual gain.</p>
<p>Using the frame of public justice, the economic system we construct should be designed to better all God’s creatures. If we started, as Psalm 24 reminds us, with the belief that “All that’s in the world is the Lord’s,” we might start to perceive the common good of societal and ecological changes we now only dream of.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2015" style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><picture title="AFB2015" data-picture-mapping="post_image" data-picture-align="right" data-picture-group="post_image">
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</picture></a>In 1994, a Manitoba-based social justice coalition called CHO!CES teamed up with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in Ottawa to develop an “alternative federal budget.” The design engaged a wide variety of groups: participants came from unions, churches, and the women’s equality movement, from environmental, an­ti-poverty, and international develop­ment organizations. Students, teach­ers, and farmers were represented, as were Aboriginal voices, policy think-tanks, and others. An important and salient feature of this AFB process was the creation of its own independently validat­ed economic and fiscal framework. This allowed the setting of realistic macro­economic constraints – the numbers had to add up! The process called for compromise and consensus among these many and varied par­ticipants on a fiscal policy agenda that was demonstrably responsible.</p>
<p>CPJ has found it useful to participate with other groups in developing the AFB in two key areas of our work: poverty elimination and environmental justice.</p>
<p>Here’s a brief description of what <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2015">the twentieth AFB</a>, released on March 19, 2015 and titled, “Delivering the Good,” proposes in these areas:</p>
<h2>Environment and Climate Change</h2>
<blockquote>
<p>“Given increasing risks of dangerous climate change, an over-reliance on fossil fuels, pressure for new pipelines to facilitate increased production from the tar sands for export, threats to biodiversity, and cuts to environmental protection laws and funding, Canada needs to take major fiscal, regulatory, and diplomatic actions to preserve a healthy environment and a stable climate for all.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The AFB quotes the best climate science, indicating that in order to have a chance of keeping global warming from exceeding dangerous levels, greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from rich, industrialized countries such as Canada must be virtually eliminated in the next 40 years. Tackling climate change will involve an ongoing switch away from using fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, and towards the efficient use of clean, renewable energy. This switch has to begin now and be unrelenting for the next three to four decades in order for Canada’s resulting GHG pollution to be reduced virtually to zero by 2050.</p>
<p>The AFB proposes the most useful policy lever available for environmental justice, one with which CPJ is in complete agreement: establishing a carbon price based on the “polluter pays principle.”</p>
<p>The intent is to develop fiscal policies that favour natural resources whose life-cycle and human health impacts are more positive. This includes ending subsidies for energy sources that are non-renewable, or whose development or use is significantly environmentally damaging. The AFB preference is for a National Harmonized Carbon Tax (HCT), initially established at $30 per tonne, but that would include measures to protect low-income Canadians, Indigenous people, and trade sensitive industries. More than half of HCT revenue would fund a progressive annual green tax benefit of $300 per adult and $150 per child, and the other half of the remaining HCT revenues would be transferred to the provinces and territories to fund further climate change abatement measures, including a national green transportation strategy.</p>
<p>The federal government, in its 2008 Speech from the Throne, set a goal of generating 90% of Canada’s electricity from non-emitting sources by 2020. The AFB wants to see this happen by supporting home energy efficiency retrofits with an investment of $250 million per year for five years (to be matched by provinces and territories), with the inclusion of grants for low-income Canadians to participate, as well.</p>
<p>The AFB would also create and fund an Ombudsman’s Office for Extractive Industries, mandated to investigate accusations of abuses, and to make recommendations to the government and the mining companies involved. This is something international development agencies and Canada’s major churches have advocated for years.</p>
<h2>Poverty and Inequality</h2>
<p>This year’s AFB includes analysis of the distribu­tional impacts of its program spending — a first for the AFB, and a new tool for analys­ing budgets by any Canadian government. In other words, the AFB takes income inequality seriously, measures the effect budgets will have on inequality, and asks governments to do the same analysis.</p>
<p>In the past, inequality trends were driven by what happened to people at the bottom of the income spectrum. More recently, it has been shaped by what happens at the top. So the AFB proposes a new tax bracket for individuals earning over $250,000, cancelling income splitting, and the full inclusion of capital gains for tax purposes. It is therefore estimated that the richest 5% of Canadian families would pay 5% more tax than they do now (but their incomes already average $380,000 and have increased by 70% since 1990.)</p>
<p>The AFB recognizes “unbalanced growth” in our current economic structure. Income inequality in Canada is also highly racialized and gendered. Women are also over-represented among low-wage earners—making up 59% of all minimum wage workers in Canada. Average wage growth has fallen to a standstill, and is below inflation in many jurisdictions. The rate of growth of temporary and part-time jobs has outpaced the growth in permanent, full-time jobs since the recovery began in 2009. While the depth of poverty is primarily a story of inadequate provincial social assistance, the breadth of poverty is primarily a low-wage story. Market pressures are one reason, but another is the federal government’s massive expansion of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.</p>
<p>International research reveals an important link: the higher the rate of inequality among people, the higher the rate of poverty that is tolerated. So while year’s AFB benefits 70% of the population, there is something for all groups in AFB programs.</p>
<p>The AFB calls for a federal plan to reduce Canada’s poverty rate by 25% by 2020, and by 75% within a decade. Its two pages of recommendations (beyond making the tax regime more progressive as described above) include calls for a national early child care system and a $2 billion transfer to the provinces for spending on their anti-poverty efforts (as recommended by a 2010 Parliamentary Committee.)</p>
<p>The twentieth AFB “delivers the good” on a wide range of issues, with the goal of “inoculating” Canada against insecurity by improving the social and environmental security of citizens. It remains to be seen whether the federal government’s budget, due next April, will measure up to such lofty goals.</p>
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Thu, 19 Mar 2015 04:00:00 +0000Joe2632 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/delivering-good-twenty-years-alternative-budgets#commentsBudgeting for the Common Good: 2014 pre-budget submissionhttps://cpj.ca/budgeting-common-good-2014-pre-budget-submission
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<p><em><strong><span style="line-height: 1.6;">Read </span>CPJ's<span style="line-height: 1.6;"> brief: </span><strong style="line-height: 1.6;"><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/files/CPJ%20FINA%20Submission%20-%20August%202014.pdf">Budgeting for the Common Good</a></strong></strong></em></p>&#13;
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.6;">As a faith-based organization, Citizens for Public Justice (</span>CPJ<span style="line-height: 1.6;">) sees Budget 2015 as an opportunity to foster and promote the common good. We believe that the moral measure of a budget is in how it treats the most vulnerable in society and how it respects the integrity of creation. Human well-being and care for the environment must be federal priorities, and these priorities must shape the way we distribute our budgets. </span></p>&#13;
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<h4>Read CPJ's<span style="line-height: 1.6;"> recommendations for Budget 2015:</span></h4>&#13;
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<ol><li><a href="/working-income-tax-benefit-pathway-out-poverty">Enhance the Working Income Tax Benefit</a></li>&#13;
<li><a href="/oil-and-gas-regulations-fulfilling-promise">Implement oil and gas regulations</a></li>&#13;
<li><a href="/taxes-benefit-all-canadians">Reverse tax cuts that don’t benefit all Canadians</a></li>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Ashley on August 5, 2014 - 8:00pm</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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<a href="/poverty/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Poverty in Canada</a> </div>
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<a href="/eco-justice/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Ecological Justice</a> </div>
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<a href="/federal-budgets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Federal Budgets</a> </div>
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Wed, 06 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000Ashley2563 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budgeting-common-good-2014-pre-budget-submission#commentsBudget 2014: The Road to Balance – but at what cost?https://cpj.ca/content/budget-2014-road-balance-%E2%80%93-what-cost
<span class="submitted-by">By CPJ on February 11th, 2014</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Jim Flaherty released the federal budget yesterday afternoon, and as expected it presented a “business-as-usual” approach. Announced in the midst of the </span>Sochi<span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> Olympics, Budget 2014 contained few new policy announcements, achieving its goal of a quiet release.</span></p>&#13;
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<p>That silence was heard across Canada as those concerned with stubbornly high poverty rates, continued inaction against climate change, and Canada’s treatment of refugees found little to cheer for. Despite growing consensus around clear alternatives on these issues, yesterday’s budget set its sights on fighting the financial deficit. Sadly, huge and unnecessary social and environmental deficits are left in its wake.</p>&#13;
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<p>The federal government’s stated goal is a surplus by 2015, which is clearly politically motivated with the 2015 election on the horizon. CPJ maintains that Canada should avoid making long-term policy decisions based solely on the deficit or surplus of the moment. Yet it is entirely possible that we could craft a budget that pursues the common good while ensuring sufficient revenues for a surplus in 2015, as demonstrated by the <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/alternative-federal-budget-2014">Alternative Federal Budget</a> (AFB). CPJ’s own <a href="/fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility-2013-pre-budget-submission">pre-budget brief</a>, which addressed critical social and environmental concerns, recommended increasing revenues by adopting a harmonized carbon tax and eliminating boutique tax expenditures that benefit those who least need tax relief.</p>&#13;
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<p>Budgets are about priorities. They represent values. With this year’s budget, the federal government has missed another opportunity to contribute to the common good and to create change that would benefit everyone in Canada.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Poverty</h2>&#13;
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<p>As CPJ’s <a href="/poverty-trends-highlights-canada-2013">Poverty Trends Highlights: Canada 2013</a> indicates, at least 2.96 million Canadians live in poverty — a condition that robs people of opportunity and dignity. Depending on the measure used, 9 – 14 per cent of children are poor, including a shocking <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/poverty-or-prosperity">50 per cent of First Nations children</a>. Clearly all levels of government in Canada have a public justice responsibility to love “the least of these” through income supports and policies that help low-income children and their families.</p>&#13;
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<p>Despite this, Budget 2014 ignored the long-standing recommendation made by CPJ and countless other researchers, anti-poverty groups and the opposition parties to increase just such a program: the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS). Introduced in 1998, the NCBS is targeted at low-income families and has proven successful at reducing poverty. Doubling the maximum monthly NCBS maximum (to $370 for the first child) could lift as many as 260,000 children out of poverty.</p>&#13;
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<p>The cost? Approximately $3 billion a year, just over 1 per cent of total government spending. While this isn’t an insignificant amount, it would make a demonstrable difference in the lives of children in need and represent a collective investment in our nation’s future.</p>&#13;
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<p>Instead of making this investment, Budget 2014 touted the government’s low-tax agenda and its progress in reducing public spending. Rather than helping give poor kids a better chance in life, the government has indicated it will spend a portion of that surplus – the exact same amount of $3 billion dollars a year – on their controversial income splitting proposal, a policy which will disproportionately benefit the rich instead of helping those most in need.</p>&#13;
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<h2>The Environment</h2>&#13;
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<p>As part of a growing global consensus that urgent action is needed to address climate change, Canada signed onto the Copenhagen Accord in 2009, making a commitment that by the year 2020, we would reduce our emissions by 17 per cent from our 2005 level. Indications from Environment Canada, however, are that we are barely half-way to this goal. And according to the September 2013 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in order to limit global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, most known fossil fuel reserves must stay underground.</p>&#13;
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<p>In light of the global environmental crisis, CPJ and many others (including the coalition behind the AFB) recommended that Budget 2014 include the introduction of a carbon tax as part of a policy framework that would encourage a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to moving Canada towards our emission reduction goal (and preparing us for the additional work needed as we join the international community in Paris in 2015), a carbon tax would have the added benefit of actually generating federal revenue that could be invested in societal goals.</p>&#13;
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<p>Instead, under the auspices of “responsible resource development,” Budget 2014 commits the federal government to continuing to expand oil sands exploration, setting the stage for a 75 per cent increase in production over 2012 levels to 5.8 million barrels of crude oil per day by 2035. At the core of this expansion is a $28 million review of pipeline projects (like the Energy East pipeline), improvements to the tanker safety regime, and reduced tariffs to promote offshore drilling in oil and gas exploration. While the financial outlay is relatively modest, oil sands expansion sets Canada on a collision course with creation.</p>&#13;
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<p>“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” If we are to preserve God’s great Earth, the life-giving source upon which we all rely, it is clear that action to curb climate change is urgently needed. We invite the Canadian government to listen to the voices of religious leaders (see <a href="http://www.councilofchurches.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/InterfaithCallforLeadershipandAction.pdf">the Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change</a>), networks of non-governmental organizations (see the <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/alternative-federal-budget-2014">Alternative Federal Budget</a>), and ordinary Canadians who are taking personal action through initiatives like “<a href="http://www.climatefast.ca/">Fasting for the Climate</a>.”</p>&#13;
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<h2>Refugees</h2>&#13;
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<p>Last year, CPJ’s pre-budget submission included a recommendation to rescind the Interim Federal Health Cuts to privately sponsored refugees awaiting approval in Canada. Despite similar calls from the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Nurses Association, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Canadian Council for Refugees (among <em>many</em> others), this issue was not addressed in Budget 2014.</p>&#13;
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<p>Until June of 2012, refugees and asylum seekers were able to access basic health care services — approximately the same level of care as those on social assistance. Now, some asylum seekers will only be seen if they have a condition that poses a public health risk.</p>&#13;
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<p>Since our initial budget submission, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews reinstated health coverage to refugees and asylum-seekers in Ontario. Her government joins five other provinces in defying the federal government on compassionate grounds. Recently, all 10 provincial health ministers condemned the federal cuts.</p>&#13;
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<p>The Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers and Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care have launched a Federal Court challenge of the cuts based on several sections of the <em>Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms</em>. But the government continues to cling to saving $20 million a year — a tiny fraction of one percent of health spending — instead of rescinding the cuts.</p>&#13;
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<h2>A Glimmer of Hope</h2>&#13;
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<p>More than a third (38%) of aboriginals in Canada do not complete high school and only 7% percent obtain a university degree. Given this fact, and the disturbingly high poverty rate of First Nations children mentioned above, ​CPJ was encouraged to see Budget 2014 commit $1.25 billion over three years to the on-reserve education system through the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act. While it remains to be seen whether or not the new Act will empower First Nations communities to effect meaningful change, it is a step in the right direction. </p>&#13;
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<p>Budgets reflect the underlying values of a society. Even though Budget 2014 was largely disappointing, we must maintain hope. Hope that we can find common ground for the common good. As we continue to respond to God’s call to work for a Canada where public justice is reflected in our public policy, it is these values of love and justice that spur us on. </p>&#13;
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Wed, 12 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000CPJ2480 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/content/budget-2014-road-balance-%E2%80%93-what-cost#commentsAn alternative take on the 2014 federal budgethttps://cpj.ca/content/alternative-take-2014-federal-budget
<span class="submitted-by">By CPJ on February 6th, 2014</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p>Have you ever wondered what the federal budget would look like if Citizens for Public Justice and other anti-poverty, environmental, and civil society organizations had the chance to write it?</p>&#13;
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<p>It’s all contained in this year’s Alternative Federal Budget (AFB), a collaborative project CPJ and several of our partner organizations contribute to annually. It was released earlier this week by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.</p>&#13;
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<p>Entitled “<a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2014" style="line-height: 1.6em;">Striking a Better Balance</a>,” AFB 2014 shows how the federal government could address Canada’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental concerns. Rather than austerity measures, it offers a fully costed-out and fiscally-prudent plan that would lift an estimated 855,000 people out of poverty, reduce income inequality, curb greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs, and restore essential health care for refugees – all while staying on track to balance the budget.</p>&#13;
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<h2>Environment</h2>&#13;
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<p>The central AFB recommendation for the environment is to <strong style="line-height: 1.6em;">introduce a Harmonized Carbon Tax (HCT)</strong>. Set at $30 per tonne, half of the $15 billion in annual revenue generated from the HCT would go towards an annual Green Tax Refund (valued at $300 per adult and $150 per child) to help offset the regressive nature of the tax for those with low-income, with the other half being transferred to the provinces to fund climate change reduction efforts. This recommendation is consistent with CPJ’s 2013 pre-budget <a href="/fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility-2013-pre-budget-submission" style="line-height: 1.6em;">submission</a> to the Finance Committee.</p>&#13;
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<p>British Columbia, which established a carbon tax in 2008, already collects $1 billion in revenue each year. Despite the province’s rise in population and Gross Domestic Product, <a href="/bc%e2%80%99s-carbon-tax-reducing-emissions-spurring-action" style="line-height: 1.6em;">BC has seen a decrease</a> in greenhouse gas emissions since implementing the tax. As the AFB notes, a well-designed price on greenhouse gas emissions promotes a healthy environment while supporting Canada’s economic growth. </p>&#13;
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<p>Other environmental recommendations in the AFB include:</p>&#13;
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<ul><li>Creating and funding an Of­fice of Ombudsman for Extractive Industries (as being called for by several of CPJ’s partners through the Open for Justice campaign).</li>&#13;
<li>Ensuring Canada contributes its fair share towards developed coun­tries’ joint commitment to mobilize US$100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing countries respond to climate change.</li>&#13;
<li>Strengthening the environment­al science capacity that’s fundamental to the federal government’s ability to advance the economic prosperity, health, and quality of life of Canadians.</li>&#13;
<li>Investing in a National Conservation Plan, including investments in oceans, grasslands, wetlands, private lands, migratory birds, and Canada’s national park system.</li>&#13;
<li>Investing in strategic opportunities to help Canada achieve its goal of generating 90 per cent of its electricity from non-emitting sources by 2020</li>&#13;
</ul><h2>Poverty</h2>&#13;
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<p>One of the central recommendations AFB 2014 proposes for addressing poverty is to <strong>immediately double the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS)</strong> in order to lift 260,000 children out of poverty (in our <a href="/budget-2013-fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility">pre-budget submission</a>, CPJ made a more modest proposal that would have lifted 174,000 children out of poverty). Like CPJ’s similar recommendation, AFB 2014 proposes that the increase to the NCBS be funded by eliminating the non-progressive Universal Child Care Benefit, an inefficient program that currently does little to meet the actual needs of childcare, is not targeted to those who need it most, and costs $2 billion each year.</p>&#13;
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<p>Other poverty-related recommendations in the AFB include:</p>&#13;
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<ul><li>Introducing a new federal transfer payment to the provinces to assist them in their poverty-reduction plans.</li>&#13;
<li>Doubling the refundable GST credit to assist low-income families.</li>&#13;
<li>Reversing the decision to change the age of eligibility for Old Age Security from 65 to 67, and increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for singles.</li>&#13;
<li>Increasing existing federal investments in affordable housing and homelessness prevention to $2 billion annually through three major initiatives: the National Homelessness Partnering Strategy, the Investment in Affordable Housing funding, and funding for existing social housing.</li>&#13;
<li>Investing $1 billion per year, growing to a total of $5 billion, to develop a system of high-quality, affordable, publicly managed childcare.</li>&#13;
<li>Enhancing Employment Insurance</li>&#13;
<li>Maintaining current funding levels in the Labour Market Agreement programs to help vulnerable groups enter the workforce, rather than re-directing this money to the Canada Jobs Grant as recently announced.</li>&#13;
<li>Making significant investments in First Nations education, health, skills training, and infrastructure.</li>&#13;
</ul><p>The AFB is proof that when dozens of civil society groups and leading experts work together, it is indeed possible to agree upon helpful policy proposals. Will any of these AFB proposals be included in the federal budget, or will public justice be once again delayed?</p>&#13;
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<p><strong>Stay tuned for CPJ’s full analysis of the federal budget, set to be released February 11.</strong></p>&#13;
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Fri, 07 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000CPJ2478 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/content/alternative-take-2014-federal-budget#commentsBudget watch 2014: the need for visionary leadershiphttps://cpj.ca/budget-watch-2014-need-visionary-leadership
<span class="submitted-by">By Simon Lewchuk on January 21st, 2014</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Budgets matter. Whether for a household, business, or government, they not only ensure we are being wise stewards of the resources entrusted to us, but reflect our values and priorities. They can be instruments used to bless and enrich the world around us, or they can perpetuate greed and self-interest.</span></p>
<p>That is why CPJ follows and critically engages the federal budget process each year. The federal government, after all, isn’t <em>them</em>, it’s “us.” As one of the primary institutions of our collective life, it’s entirely reasonable for citizens to expect that the values that matter most are reflected in how the government decides to spend – or not spend – our money.</p>
<p>So what (and whose) priorities will be reflected in the next federal budget? What will it say about our values as a nation?</p>
<h2>Balance the books now so we can spend later…but on what?</h2>
<p>It’s widely expected that federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will table an early budget the second week of February, shortly after MPs return to Ottawa on January 27, and at a time when the attention of Canadians will be very much elsewhere: the Sochi Winter Olympics.</p>
<p>Word is that this budget will be a pretty bare-bones deal. No major new announcements. No new tax breaks such as the ones this government has heralded in previous budgets in order to shore up support among voters.</p>
<p>Why such a low-key affair? By all accounts, this year’s budget is all about “keeping the powder dry” for the “big event” in 2015. Next year’s budget will be highly politicized, meant to set the stage for the general election in October. That 2015 budget will offer targeted, carefully designed tax cuts designed to secure electoral victory.</p>
<p>Budget 2014 is merely laying the groundwork. But what will this budget direction cost?</p>
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<h2>Narrow focus on fighting budget deficits creates social and environmental deficits</h2>
<p>During the last election, the Conservatives campaigned on the promise that they would erase the deficit and return to balanced budgets by 2015-16. To their credit, they’re on track to make good on that promise. After major program slashing and reductions in the size of the public service, there is a projected budget deficit of 5.5-billion in 2014-2015 (down from $33.4 billion in 2010-2011), with eyes on a surplus of 3.7-billion in 2015-16 (these are conservative estimates).</p>
<p>But it’s come at a high cost. Important research, social, and environmental programs are being hollowed-out. <a href="/poverty-trends-highlights-canada-2013">Millions</a> of Canadians continue to live in poverty. Our lack of leadership against climate change is threatening the global ecosystem and the sustainability of our economy. Refugees are being <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/comment-changing-the-way-we-talk-about-refugees-1.326337">denied essential healthcare</a>. The federal government’s narrow focus on “fighting the deficit” has left huge social and environmental deficits.</p>
<p>At the same time, corporate taxes have been slashed, but jobs and investments have failed to significantly increase as a result. The use of “boutique tax credits,” costly measures with little social or economic utility designed to appeal to small, targeted segments of voters, has increased exponentially. The collective impact of these tax cuts is estimated at $45 billion in foregone government revenue annually.</p>
<h2>Consumer model of politics</h2>
<p>While they won’t likely be in this year’s budget, the federal government has promised that more tax cuts are on the way (including their highly contentious income-splitting proposal). Indeed, the promise of lower taxes will become a major 2015 election issue, and it’s highly likely that more than one party will be unable to resist the votes that the low-tax mantra can buy.</p>
<p>Canada is witnessing the rise of what’s known as the consumer model of politics. As Don Lenihan describes in his book <em>Rescuing Policy: The case for public engagement</em>, political parties avoid “Big Ideas” and instead offer smaller, easy-to-deliver benefits to targeted groups of the population in exchange for their support. The results? In his own words: “Big issues like climate change or poverty reduction are increasingly ignored,” and, “Winning elections, rather than promoting the public good, becomes the driving force behind policy-making.” (Susan Delacourt, Toronto Star journalist and Lenihan’s wife, has written another popular book on the subject, <em>Shopping for Votes</em>).</p>
<h2>The need for visionary leadership</h2>
<p>If you’re looking for visionary leadership on the big issues of our day, this year’s budget is unlikely to offer much hope.</p>
<p>For those Canadians and people of faith who believe in the <a href="/taxes-and-common-good-0">positive role of taxation</a> in building a healthy, democratic society, and who believe that self-interest must be set aside for the sake of the common good and love for neighbour and creation, now more than ever we must stand up and have our voice heard.</p>
<p><em>Read more about CPJ’s 2014 budget recommendations <a href="/budget-2013-fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility">here</a>.</em></p>
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Tue, 21 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000Simon2472 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budget-watch-2014-need-visionary-leadership#commentsFulfilling our Collective Responsibilityhttps://cpj.ca/fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility
<span class="submitted-by">By Brad Wassink on September 3rd, 2013</span><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix">
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<p><em>This is the third in a three-part series highlighting CPJ’s recommendations for the 2014 federal budget as contained in <a href="/fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility-2013-pre-budget-submission">Fulfilling our Collective Responsibility</a>, our annual brief to the House of Commons’ Finance Committee. This week, we discuss the injustice facing privately sponsored refugees in Canada.</em></p>&#13;
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<p>In preparing our pre-budget submission, CPJ looked to our own <a href="/poverty-trends-scorecard-canada-2012">Poverty Trends Scorecard</a> series. The three reports have repeatedly shown that certain vulnerable populations, including young people, Aboriginals, and new Canadians, suffer from higher than average rates of poverty and unemployment.</p>&#13;
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<p>According to our <a href="/labour-market-trends-report">Labour Market Trends</a> report, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants was at 13.5 per cent in 2012. While this is more than two percentage points below its peak of 15.8 per cent in 2010, it is still well above the pre-recession rate of 11.8%.</p>&#13;
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<p>This trend has many implications for the lives of newcomers. Among the population of recent immigrants, refugees have some of the highest needs. After fleeing war, famine, persecution, or other atrocities, refugees often arrive in Canada with serious medical concerns and few social supports. While Canadians pride ourselves on our public health care system, most of us receive supplemental health care through our employment. With a jobless rate at near twice the national average, newcomers, and refugees in particular, require additional support.</p>&#13;
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<p>That’s why for 55 years, refugees have relied on the Interim Federal Health (IFH) program to provide coverage for supplemental health services, including eye and dental care, medication, and prosthetic devices. So, many were shocked and surprised in 2012 when the federal government announced that they were cancelling the program for privately sponsored refugees. What wasn’t surprising was the outpouring for support for refugees that has since been seen across Canada.</p>&#13;
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<p>As its rationale for these cuts, the government cites equality, deterrence, and cost savings. A fulsome rebuttal of all three of these arguments can be found in our <a href="/sites/default/files/docs/June_20_Jason_Kenney_letter_re_IFHP_final.pdf">letter to CIC Minister Jason Kenney</a> and our <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/comment-changing-the-way-we-talk-about-refugees-1.326337">article in the Victoria Times Colonist</a>. It’s clear that from a public justice perspective, providing such care for the least advantaged in our society is critical to fulfilling our collective responsibility to each other. Yet even from a budgetary perspective, the prudent choice would be make this small investment in refugee health care which would result in large savings for refugee sponsors, provinces, health services providers.</p>&#13;
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<h2 id="Fiscalresponsibility">Fiscal responsibility</h2>&#13;
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<p>Budgets are about choices and show where our government’s priorities lie. The direct cost to the federal government for the IFH program is $20 million per year. For a federal government that spends over $250 billion annually, this is next to nothing. While they’ve made the decision that providing support for refugee health care is not worth the extra cost, they’ve shown over and over that they are willing to incur costs on behalf of other groups.</p>&#13;
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<p>The past few budgets have been fraught with “boutique” tax credits. Tax credits in general result in foregone revenue by allowing taxpayers to keep more money, which is not altogether a bad thing. The problem with boutique tax credits is that they favour specific groups, usually upper-class Canadians, and rarely change behaviour in ways they are intended to. While politicians often use them as a way to “buy votes,” they have been roundly criticized by organizations on both the <a href="https://cupe.ca/">left</a> and the <a href="https://fcpp.org/">right</a>.</p>&#13;
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<p>The non-refundable Public Transit Tax Credit alone could fund the IFH program five times over. As could the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit. Our federal government foregoes $100 million in revenues per year for each of these.</p>&#13;
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<h2 id="Aresetonrefugees">A reset on refugees</h2>&#13;
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<p>Despite united opposition to these cuts from the medical community, Minister Kenney has stubbornly refused to budge on this issue. In fact, he has actually amped up his rhetoric by frequently referring to refugees as “bogus” or “queue jumpers.”</p>&#13;
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<p>At the Cabinet shuffle in July, Prime Minister Harper named Chris Alexander as the new Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. This may have given some hope that more flexibility and change are on the way. But refugee advocates, including Dr. Mike Dillon, with Canadian Doctors for Refugee Health Care, are <a href="https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/immigration-advocates-expect-little-will-change-215784931.html">not so optimistic</a>. And even so, Jason Kenney has <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/08/and-then-there-were-2-multiculturalism-ministers-on-the-cabinet-roster.html">stayed on as the Minster of State for Multiculturalism</a>, ensuring that he will continue to play a role in immigration policy.</p>&#13;
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<p>CPJ is calling on the federal government to rescind these cuts in Budget 2014. Moving forward, we will continue to explore all legislative opportunities to rescind these cuts and enact justice for all refugees. But a foundational part of that work is changing how we talk about refugees in Canada.</p>&#13;
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<p>As the <a href="/refugee-rights">Proud to Protect Refugees campaign</a> moves into its second year, there will be plenty of chances to do so at events across the country. Several Canadian churches, including the <a href="http://pwrdf.org/2013/pwrdf-is-proud-to-protect-refugees/">Anglican</a>, <a href="https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=5d0a468ccba985c5b0985464e&amp;amp;id=3d02be0200&amp;amp;e=a5e3659899">Christian Reformed</a>, Lutheran, <a href="https://mcccanada.ca/">Mennonite</a>, and <a href="http://presbyterian.ca/pwsd/2013/06/10/the-proud-to-protect/">Presbyterian</a>, have made declarations in support of refugees. Be sure to check our website later this fall on ways you can show your support for refugees.</p>&#13;
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Tue, 03 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000Brad2405 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility#commentsBudget 2013: Fulfilling our Collective Responsibilityhttps://cpj.ca/budget-2013-fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility
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<p>While CPJ has publicly raised questions about the integrity of the pre-budget consultation process, we believe that now, more than ever, the voice of public justice needs to be heard in Ottawa, and that continued engagement with our elected officials is a far better choice than disengagement or apathy.</p>&#13;
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<p>The government’s stated intention - to run in the 2015 election after achieving a budgetary surplus – can impair good policy decisions. We believe this premise of the pre-budget consultations ties Canadians’ hands behind our backs by not allowing for good forward planning, thus limiting the necessary investments in a future we want and need.</p>&#13;
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<p>In spite of the government's increasingly limited pre-budget process (requiring submitting organizations to use a template that allows no more than three recommendations and has a limited word count), <em>Fulfilling our Collective Responsibility </em>contains key recommendations around poverty, climate change, and refugees. None of our recommendations require any new expenditure by the federal government; instead, they call for existing expenditures to be reallocated so that they benefit the common good.</p>&#13;
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<p>Read CPJ's brief: <strong><a href="/sites/default/files/docs/Fulfilling-our-Collective-Responsibility-Brief-2013-web.pdf">Fulfilling our Collective Responsibility</a></strong> </p>&#13;
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<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Simon on August 21, 2013 - 8:00pm</span><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-5 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
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Tags:&nbsp;
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<a href="/poverty/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Poverty in Canada</a> </div>
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<a href="/eco-justice/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Ecological Justice</a> </div>
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<a href="/refugees/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy Statements: Refugee Rights</a> </div>
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<a href="/federal-budgets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Federal Budgets</a> </div>
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Thu, 22 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000Simon2403 at https://cpj.cahttps://cpj.ca/budget-2013-fulfilling-our-collective-responsibility#comments